The Giver: An Epilogue
by 417-novlr
Summary: An alternate ending to the 1993 classic "The Giver", composed of two chapters. Chapter 24 entails Jonas' and Gabriel's arrivals at the mysterious Elsewhere, wherein the only structure is a futuristic singularity. They explore the in and outs of the building, and Jonas gains insight on its hidden nuances. Chapter 25 shows Jonas' final application to the position here of Receiver.
1. Chapter 24 (Part 1)

As Jonas and Gabriel were accelerating increasingly quickly down the snowy hill, Jonas was

reminded of his first memory transmitted to him by the Giver of the community he had just left

behind: that of sledding down a similar slope.

As he and Gabriel approached the base of the slope, he had pondered: what would become

of the Giver, now that he, the Receiver of the Community, had abandoned it? Would all of his

memories flood the community with sorrow, despair, and overwhelming, in similar fashion to

Rosemary's failure? Before he could answer his question, however, the two had crashed into a

welcoming pole with a flag attached to its zenith, that read "Welcome to the Land of Release".

Jonas then reflected on his experiences with the Giver, and his first truly painful memory

transmitted to him. He had remembered all of the unbearable pain of crashing into the bump

at that very snow-covered hill, and his request for relief-of-pain. He had also remembered the

video the Giver had shown him, when he was curious about the processions of Release, and his

absolute shock at what his father, a Nurturer of the last Community, had done.

At this point in time, Jonas had wondered now, in a more deep fashion than ever: what

happened to those released in the community? He knew long ago, as soon as he had watched

the video, that release was really referring to death; however, he now pondered the afterlife

of those released. Were they packed tightly in a box, and shipped to a special area in the new

community, termed only "Elsewhere" from his whereabouts, where perhaps they were specially

treated in some, at present, obscure manner, or maybe rejuvenated? After all, from what he

knew at this point and before, most anything could happen amidst the mystique of Elsewhere.

Just as the incident at the snowy hill atop the regulated, utopian Community had jarred Jonas

loose from his sled and injured him gravely, at this new community termed but "Elsewhere",

both Jonas and Gabriel this time were bolted away from the seats of the sled, except this time,

they suffered nothing.

Jonas realized something at this point: could Elsewhere be but a polar opposite of the Community

from which they escaped? It was very possible, and nothing, not one

soul could stop them from discovering at this point.

When they, at last, had embarked at this mysterious area, they were almost instantly greeted

warmly by an intelligent, fearless male, who had led them to a towering structure, known to

Jonas and Gabriel only as the Elsewhere Main Quarters. This unknown figure of apparent

importance seemed to know, however, things about the building's name alone secretive that the

two boys did not.

The man had, without further delay, led the boys to the quarters, where they caught sight of

an administrator of the area, younger than the Giver of the past, and who had never fully trained

a Receiver as of yet. The administrator had, Jonas noticed, greatly differed from the Giver, in

almost every possible aspect. He then had entertained for some time, that Elsewhere might be

similar to a parallel universe, wherein all operations are reversed from the normal world, in this

case Jonas' and Gabriel's past. His deep thought, however, was interrupted by a vibrant call

from the administrator: "Come in, Sanoj."

At first, Jonas did not know who this Sanoj was, but almost immediately counteracted his

ponderings, when he had realized from his observant traits gained from his duty as the Receiver

of Memory, that Sanoj was the Receiver of this community, and that his name was reversed from

his own, the very identity which he held onto similarly to a treasure of rarity.

He had not sensed his identity stolen; yet, he felt half-perplexed, at the possibility of

Elsewhere being able to replicate the utopian society from which they originated so perfectly,

without error whatsoever; how could there be a Receiver just as he was, with a name nigh

identical in a major aspect? At the same instance, however, he knew that his and Gabriel's

community was not entirely on its own; it had relied on other societies, maybe even Elsewhere,

for vital supplies and other important communal or productive relations.

It would be very possible that Elsewhere and the Community were connected somehow,

perhaps intangibly, and that they exchanged not only food, water, and the Released smaller twins

and Old, but in addition, ideas and flattery of duplication. At this point, Jonas, a very reflective,

naturally curious male once of great importance, had been stripped of his reflections when Sanoj

had coordinated all arrangements with the administrator, and the latter had taken action for

once in a very while. She had allowed the two, along with Gabriel, to proceed and explore the

quarters, before a return has scheduled, and further arrangements were to be made.

Sanoj had elected to acquaint himself to Jonas, knowing that it would be inevitable, and

he would finish his duty as the Receiver, and Jonas would possibly replace him. Firstly, he

had asked him of his history in the last Community, and of Gabriel's whereabouts. Jonas

had responded calmly, just as he would have to interrogation in the Community; indeed, the

Community was strict, and, to him, which he never revealed for all of twelve years, and all but

one uncounted, rather constricted and stagnated by rules.

Here, he did wish for anything but to burn the bridge of the Community to Elsewhere into the

sea of loss, death, and despair, from whence perhaps Caleb the Four's soul had departed, to this

still unknown area. At that, his nature had imposed upon him the memory of Caleb's Ceremony

of Loss, for whom he felt sorrow.

Such almost prompted him to re-enact the actions of his Community, where the denizens had

expressed a sense of fading from existence; however, doing so would have no point or place, and

would only remind him of his past, which should have been completely left behind at this point.

Again, he was uncertain, along with unnerved Gabriel, whether thinking about something in

Elsewhere would actually cause it to happen. After all, this was a miracle of a universe wherein

everything had to be discovered first before anything could be made sense out of.

During the acquaintance process between the two whose names are reversals of each other,

Sanoj had asked a particularly deep question: "How exactly were you appointed as the Receiver

of Memory in your Community?" At this, Jonas had explained himself fully, yet not revealing

details that would burn the aforementioned bridge: "I had been selected for the fundamental,

very important position of Receiver, because, supposedly, according to a more important, elderly

and consequently respected official, I had possessed some fine qualities, necessary to progress

and flow in society."

"And how exactly did they know the presence of such traits in your soul?"

"Note that the Community is very strict and regulated, with each denizen being observed

constantly, with any moment possible as one of release shortly after."

"Ah, I see…in such an instance, and considering my five-year duty as Receiver is near its

end, perhaps I could do something a rarity for you exclusively."

From this point on, Jonas felt captured in a state of limbo, along with apprehensive Gabriel,

who had at this moment felt likewise to Jonas when the latter had witnessed a plane flying

over the Community, frightening them all. _That was nearly two years ago_, he reflected.

_Has time truly passed at this astonishing rate, regarding not universal chronology?_

Jonas, near the would-be unimportant, uncounted age of thirteen, figured himself at a prime

age to deeply think about his life thus far.

Now, unlike the previous experience as Receiver in the Community of times long past,

Jonas perceived that this one would be less focused on memory transmission, and much more

on reflection, improvement upon mistakes realized via those thoughts, and overall well-

roundedness, perhaps.

Jonas couldn't truly describe that last probable focal point of the new, differing task. Would

memories transmitted here go back to the Community if some unfortunate event happened to the

Receiver? Was there any sort of Release system in place here, too? He knew not, and the only

option was to reside and explore further.

Not that he had an option, anyway, he realized. After all that he and Gabriel had undergone,

if they were to return to their roots, they would probably deserve to stay there, under the, to

Jonas anyway, negatively uniform and overly harsh system.

At this point, Jonas was taken into a dwelling located safely inside the building, which

seemed quite technologically advanced compared to the relative sameness of the Community

from whence he and the once-newchild came. From the rather high point the two were

temporarily stationed, they could clearly see the hill which they had slid down earlier; just that

day, in fact.

As it was night by the base of the mountain, and later into the night by the dwelling on the

relatively high point of the tenth floor of the singular building in this Elsewhere, the two decided

against doing anything else that day.

The two bid each other sufficient rests, and resolved to forget their past, as it would but

torture them, and maybe cause the citizens there anguish, just as what happened when Rosemary

had left them behind when she was released, he thought. Jonas, as a final pondering, wondered,

_is it possible that Rosemary is also in this building? Could she have been the administrator in _

_the lobby? _

And so, he had drifted off to vital slumber.


	2. Chapter 25 (Part 2)

To the sun, Jonas had arisen peacefully, without distraction, worry, or trouble. Ironically, Jonas reflected, the two seemed in more trouble wherever they elected to step in the old Community. After all, the punishments were harsher, and for a third repetition of a misdemeanor, or for a particularly egregious act, the person was released, perhaps to here. _Is that such a cruel punishment, though?_

Jonas was half-confused. Perhaps Elsewhere was actually the equivalent of Heaven, and the Community they came from was an area of disarray and indirect punishment. Thinking further, he realized the true magnitude of the pain he had faced as the Receiver of Memory, with the sunburn, the crash on the snowy hill, and _particularly_ the thrust into warfare, which even the Giver himself had apologized to him for.

Was all this pain part of a large underworld, and everyone's perceptions were reversed? On the other hand, could it very well be that _his_ and Gabriel's minds were inverted, and that the Community is symbolic of normalcy, and Elsewhere representative of oddities, rarities, and rule breakers? An echo summoned in his mind, at that very moment, as if to associate his unspoken words with a visualization of the past: "Such a selection is very, very rare. Our community has only one Receiver. It is he who trains his successor." However…

Had he not promised to Gabriel never to so much as think of the past again? What if Gabriel suddenly gained an equivalent Capacity to See Beyond, in this case more of a Capacity to Read Minds? Would they always be at peace? Jonas found Elsewhere a place of all but clear contradictions, unusual occurrences, and reversals. Never, though, did he actually long to go back to the past, disregarding the impossibility of such under any circumstance.

After Jonas had left himself to think for a bit, and clear his mind in preparation for the day ahead, he woke up Gabriel, in nigh the same fashion he had during their time in the Community. He had first soothed him, and then lifted him out of his crib, to wash him and prepare him in accordance with tradition.

When both were certainly prepared, they took the expedient elevator downwards to the lobby, wherein the mysterious administrator was still seated. Again, he thought, _could that be Rosemary, the Giver's daughter, employed for this position rather than for the Receiver duty? Could there be more than one form of Release?_ Now, he had realized the possibility, that only the Old and smaller twins were actually killed, euthanized. Perhaps rule breakers, or those applied for Release, did not die before reaching Elsewhere, and started anew at the promised destination.

After the two had departed from the towering singularity of Elsewhere, they met Sanoj, still outside in the same spot they had left him the night prior. It would be but one day, until Jonas turned thirteen, and Sanoj would be forced to surrender his Receiver position, at one day shy of eighteen.

At that point, considered the age of mostly compulsory retirement, Jonas would apply for the position, unlike in his past Community. Here, there was nary a Ceremony of any kind, not but a Ceremony of Loss or Age.

Henceforth, another director, on the second floor of the all-purpose building, would usually review traits, and school history. However, Jonas' case was a rarity, as he and Gabriel had been stationed in Elsewhere for a mere one night, and this day. Thus should the director proceed with a different application screening.

Accompanied by Sanoj, the two individually knew not where to go to apply for, and secure, a new position. Yet, Sanoj, with nigh five years of experience in his job, knew perfectly the dynamics of the structure. Indeed, he had spent seventeen, the following day to be eighteen, considering that the building is the soul of the community; the building is the host of all purposes and venues in the society.

Sanoj had led them to the second floor, with nary a complaint to be had by the boys. There, they encountered the Director of Job Applications, seated perfectly in his circular chair of perfectly proportional radius and regularity, perfectly situated in his office with an impeccably constructed list of potential jobs, and their base requirements, their prerequisites.

The Director was a very courteous, yet extremely serious man of twenty-two, an exception to the recognized retirement age of eighteen. The Director himself, had been well raised, to a durable life, and would need only a replacement tending towards five years in the future.

Again, as so much did, this sent Jonas into another state of wondering, which he actually conversed this time with Gabriel, almost three: "Why is it only the Director is exempt from the rule of retirement?"

Gabriel, transformed to a great degree by the change of communal setting, had still not an answer that would satisfy Jonas' natural curiosity, another characteristic making him apt for the new position, as apt as he was before.

At this, Sanoj had analyzed their patterns, that they would never fail to observe and question for so long that they would not have time to actually apply for their very purpose. Thus, he went in the office on his own, and attempted to employ Jonas for his current position.

The director had willingly agreed; however, he asked of Jonas' presence, so that he could form a full judgment of him. Jonas, here, was effectively put through an assessment of aptitude. It was here that, even more, Jonas noted internally the major differences between the two societies encompassed within his experience in life.

_In the community of the past…_Jonas immediately stopped himself, knowing that Gabriel had been radically transformed, in a way unknown to him as of yet, and that he may know that he had broken Gabriel's promise. In such a case, he figured, what would he do? If Gabriel so much as thought that he was thinking of what would occur as a result of his thinking of the past, then Jonas would probably not receive the Receiver position, and his status as a rarity would be vanished into the atmosphere, furthering his supposition that Elsewhere is all but a Heaven of contradictions.

The Director stopped the assessment at this point.

"I believe you're ready for the position. Welcome aboard."

Jonas was locked in a state of disbelief, quite the same he had experienced at the Ceremony of Twelve when he had been appointed the Receiver. This time, it was in a different way, however. The first time, Jonas was shocked at the prospect of even having _been selected_ for the important position; the second, here in Elsewhere, Jonas saw it as unexpected that the Director, a very strict perfectionist, who bore great resemblance to the Giver, even in age, would stop the assessment at all at a few reflections of his, let alone pass him to the position.

Now faced with the job of his past, he had still not felt a sense of longing for the past, as never he did. Upon stepping out of the room, and down from the floor, he noticed an eerie resemblance of the administrator to the Director. _Could it be?_ He pondered, as is now a habit, for some more time, and came to a conclusion involving the needed traits of a Receiver. Now, Gabriel was, without Jonas, taken up to the tenth floor by the Elevator Operator, where he could stay until Jonas had completed his first session.

The administrator had directed him to the fourth floor, where the Transmission Room was stationed. _Actually, _Jonas realized for once, _Elsewhere is similar in some ways to the utopian Community_.

And what became of Sanoj at this point? As now a retired, experienced male of eighteen, having had his eighteenth year since his birth celebrated at noon precisely, at twelve hours, and one minute, past midnight, he had gone back up to the eleventh through fifteenth floor dwellings designated for the retired, not referred to as "Old", unlike in Jonas' origin, wherein the Giver had taken age as a compliment, rightfully so. In Elsewhere, the lives of denizens are very short; hardly a quarter of those in the supposed "real" world, or half of those in Jonas' Community. Now that he thought about it, which world was real, and which one was fictional? Was Elsewhere truly nothing but a piece of imagination originating from his and Gabriel's delusion? Where did they truly escape to, considering that "release" is but a term for death? All is not known; not in Elsewhere.

Finally, Jonas had emerged from floor four, and risen back up six to the dwelling to meet Gabriel. From now on, he had established a routine. At thirteen, he now was to raise Gabriel, and receive memories not to be spilled out. Are those memories real, however? He knew not.


End file.
